Safety-signal system for railways.



N0. 875,911. PATENTED JAN. '7. 1908. W. P. HERTING & 15'. C. GHLAN.

SAFETY SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20.1907.

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THE NGRRIS PETERS C0., WASHINCYDN, D. D.

No. 875,911, PATBNTBD JAN. 7, 1908. W. 1". HBRTING NF. 0. GBLAN.

SAFETY SIGNAL SYSTEM FOB. RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20.1907.

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mmm/ggg arrow/wad No. 875,911. PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908. W. I. HBRTING & F. C. CHLAN.

SAFETY SIGNAL SYSTEM POR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION TILED APB..20.1907.

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No. 875,911. PA'IENTED JAN. '7, 1908. W. F. HERIING & F. C. CHLAN.

SAFETY SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED .1212.20.1907. y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. IIERTING AND FRANK C. GHLAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SAFETY-SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed April 20. 1907. Serial No. 369.345.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. linn- TING and FRANK C. `CHLAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore City and State o'l' Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Signal Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specilication.

Our invention relates to a safety signal system for railways, and more particularly to a block signal system comprising means for unfailingly signaling a passing train from each block house when it is desired to prevent the train from entering the next block.

Broadly our invention consists in the arrangement at certain points oll block houses, electrical contacts arranged at a point distant therefrom and adapted to be operated by an oncoming train to close a circuit and notify the block signal operator.

Furthermore it consists in the arrangement of two magazine torpedo setting mechanisms at points between said block house and said contacts, each of said mechanisms being adapted to be actuated by the operator to place a torpedo upon the track, an annunciator arranged within the block house and electrical mechanism for registering thereon the actuation ot' said contacts and the movements of said torpedo setting mechanisms and means for automatically returning said torpedo setting mechanisms to receive a new torpedo from the magazine a'litcr actuation and release by the operator.

" Still further our invention consists in utilizing the torpedo setting mechanism most distant 'from the block house as the main signal and the nearest one as a reserve in case the first named mechanism fails to properly operate, or in case the engineer on the train disregards the same, and in placing a third and last expedient on the track near the block house in the ilorm of a pivoted lever which may be thrown to the vertical position by the operator, and which will strike a dependinglever carried by the engine and will operate said lever to accomplish the closing of a circuit to ring a bell and the showing of a red light in the engine cab, at the same time releasing the air and applying the brakes.

Our invention still Afurther consists in the construction, arrangement and operation o'l parts as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, 1n which like Vfigures represent like parts in the several ligures and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved apparatus showing a complete block. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the annunciator ndthin the block house. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the eab signal levers that portion carried by the engine being shown in diagram. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through one end of the torpedo setting or placing mechanisms, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 ol' Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line @#6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Fig. 1, wherein is shown in practical application our complete safety system, A represents the railroad track having a switch B leading thereon. Block stations 10 and 11 are placed at suitable intervals along the road, one signal block, designated as block 2, being shown in this ligure. Block station 10 has electrically connected therewith the contact piece 12 which is arranged beside the track to be depressed by the flange of the engine wheel to complete a circuit through the wires 13 when a train approaches said station in the direction of arrow 6. As the contact shoe is carried on the right side of the engine there will be no contact at the point 12 when the engine moves in the direction ol arrow 5. Vhen warned of the approach of a train which the operator at block station 1() must not admit within the next station he will at once pull a rope 14 which operates a torpedo setting mechanism arranged at 15, and termed the main mechanism, to place a torpedo upon the rail, and at the same time to actuate a target 16 to show danger. Should the main torpedo mechanism 15 fail to stop the train, the operator will pull a rope 17 which operates the reserve torpedo setting mechanism 18 to place a torpedo upon the rail and to actuate a target 19 to show dange1". Should both the main and reserve torpedo placing mechanisms and the targets be disregarded by the oncoming train, the operator at block station 10 is provided with a third and last expedient in the form of a pivoted lever 2O arranged along the right hand rail and which the operator may actuate to a vertical position by means of a rope 2]. Vhen in the vertical position the lever 20 will strike a lever mechanism carried on the right side of the engine,

adapted to ring a bell and show a red light within the cab of the engine, as will be hereinafter described.

Should an engine and train approach the block station 1 l in the direction indicated by the arrow 5, it will, by means of the contact shoe carried on the Vright side ofthe engine, signal the operator through the contact 22 and the circuit wires 23 of its approach. Should the operator be ordered to hold the train, he will first operate his main torpedo placing mechanism 24, by means of the lever 25, to place a torpedo on the rail and actuate its target 26 to show danger. Should this fail he has his reserve torpedo placing mechanism 27, its operating rope 28 and target 29, and should this also fail, a pivoted lever 30 is provided, similar to the lever 20, operated by a rope 31 to actuate signals within the cab of the engine.

Although we have shown and described the operating elements for the several .mechanisms as ropes, it will be understood that in the practical usage of our invention, levers will be employed with bell-cranks connecting them.

fe will now describe the torpedo placing:

mechanism, it being understood that each of said mechanisms are alike in construction and operation. A' casing 32 is provided with a two-part cover or lid, the portion 33 thereof being rigidly secured to the oasing'by means of bolts 34, and having a shoulder 35 formed thereon, and the portion 36 having a groove 37 fitting below and about ,the shoulder 35 and locked to the casing- 32 yat 38. Vertically arranged from its bearing 39 in the casing 32 is a rotatable shaft 40 mounted through the supporting frame 41, bolted to the base of said casing. r1`he shaft 40 is ,provided with a-toothed segment 42 and a chain 43 connected thereto, which is adapted to -be operated by a rope or cable 44 from the block station to partially rotate said shaft 40. A swinging torpedo placing arm 45 is thus swung from the torpedo magazine 46 to the car rail through the door 47 which is automatically opened for the passage of said arm 45 through the casing 32 by means of a spring 48 attached to an overhanging stop frame 49 and to said door. /Vhen, however, the mechanism is released by the operator at the block station a spring 50, stronger than spring 48, and arranged between the segment 42 and arm 51 of the frame 41 will pull said swinging arm back to its normal position and will further pull said door 47 closed by means of the loose chain connection 52 arranged between said door and the swinging arm 45.

Mounted on theupper end of shaft 40 to rotate therewith and extending through a bearing 53 in the position 33 of the cover isa signal shaft 54 having a target 55 and a sigsaid lever mechanism when struck being nal lamp 56 on the upper end thereof and so arranged that a red or danger signal will show along the rails when the mechanism is operated to place a torpedo.

i/Vithin the magazine 46 are adapted to be arranged a plurality of torpedoes 57 each provided with an extending tongue 58 adapted to v'be grasped between the upper and lower aws 59 and 60 respectively arranged on the end of the swinging arm 45 and pivoted at 61. A leaf spring 62 bearing upwardly against the under face of the rearwardly extending portion of jaw 59 beyond its point of pivot, serves to close said jaws upon the torpedo while a U-shaped rod frame 63 pivoted in and depending from the supports 64 andy arranged to engage the upper surface of said extending position of said jaw 59 serves to open said jaws slightly to grasp the torpedo.

In order to feed the torpedoes down to be grasped one at a `time I provide a pair of fingers 65 and 66, said finger 66 being arranged to enter the magazine a distance above said finger 65 equal to the thicknessof one torpedo. The ngersf65 and 66 are pivotally mounted adjacent the opposite ends of an oscillating member 67 pivoted centrally to the arm 68 of the frame 41. An operating rod 69 is connected to said member 67 by `means of a universal joint 7 0 and is provided with an adjustable bracket 71 which is arranged to be struck by the arm 45 to oscillate said member 67 and thrust said finger 66 within the magazine 46 below the torpedoes, /Vhen the mechanism is operated to Vplace a torpedo upon the rail, and the arm 45 thereby swung outward, a spring 72 will operate to withdraw the upper finger 66 and insert the lower finger 65 which will then support the torpedoes until the arm 45 is again returned when said finger will be withdrawn to drop a torpedo to be clasped by the jaws 59 and 60 and the vfinger 66 again inserted to prevent more than one torpedo dropping.

Should the torpedo, after having been placed on the rail, be notexploded the said torpedo will therefore return within the casing 32 in the grasp of the swinging arm 45, and will strike the curved end 73 of the operating rod 69 thus lifting said rod upward on its universal pivot and allowing said arm 45 to pass under the bracket 71 without actuating the oscillating member 67. The torpedo will at the same time strike the curved lower arm 74 of the rod 75, in the form of a bell-crank-lever, pivoted at 76 to an arm 77 of the frame 41 and connected at its other end to the rod frame 63. Then thus struck by the torpedo said bell-crank-lever operates to throw said frame 63 out of contact with the extension of the jaw 59 and thus prevent the opening of the jaws.

An annunciator such as we have shown in Fig. 2, is designated to be used within each block station, the one shown being marked especially for block station 10. The annunciator board 78 is divided in halt, each hall indicating the actions taking place in thc blocks on both sides et' the station, and under the control of the operator. .l will describe the half marked Block #2. with reference to Fig. l which shows the scheme of this block and Fig. 5, which shows the wiring within the torpedo placing mechanism. The negative wires 7 9 and 7 0 leading' from the main mechanism indicator S0 and also from the reserve mechanism indicator' S1, are con nected within their respective casings to the curved insulated strips 82 and S3 respectively while the positive current carrying wire 84; from the annunciator which has a battery S5 arranged in circuit tlwrewith, is connected to the rearwardly extending shank 86 of the swinging torpedo placing arm 45. Thus when said arm 15 is actuated to place a torpedo the shank S6 will be moved to contact with strip S3 thus closing' a circuit through wire 79a to actuate the indicator to register on". As the torpedo placing mechanism is released the shank S6 will contact with the strip S2 and will complete a circuit through the wire 79 to actua-te the indicator to register oil. The actuation et' the indicators 87 will. be through the wires 13 as previously described.

The last expedient by which the operator may hope to stop the train is by means of a pivoted lever shown at 20 and 30 in Fig'. 1, in connection with stations 10 and 11 respectively and illustrated in detail, together with the mechanism carried on the engine, in Fig'. 3. In this iig'ure the lever SS is pivoted in the frame 89, secured along side of the rail to drop to a horizontal position by gravity. A stop 90 limits the movement of the lever S8 to the vertical position under the actuation of the rod 91 connected to the lever SS by means otl the coil spring 02. The engine mechanism comprises a bellcrank lever 93 adapted to be operated by the lever SS the shock of contact between said levers being absorbed by means of the contact shoes 94 and said coil spring 92. Arranged vertically on the engine is an operating rod 05 terminating at its lower end in an enlarged chamber 06 within which is disposed the enlarged head 97 ot' a connecting rod 98 pivo'ted to the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever 03. Mounted preferably within or adjacent the engine cab, and in full view et' the engineer is a shutter 00 sliding' in a trame 100 and provided with a transparent red window 101. The upper end of the rod 05 is normally pressed upward by means oi' the spring 102 into locking engagement with the catch 1,03 mounted on the shutter 00 by which said shutter is held from displacement. 'Vhen the lever .93 strikes the lever S8 the rod 05 will be depressed, thus releasing the shutter 99 and allowing the same to slide along the frame 100 under the actuation of springs 104 until the contact shoe 105 carried by said shutter contacts with the pieces 106, thus completing a circuit through the wires 107 and battery 108 to ring 'a bell 100, and at tract the attention of the engineer. A lamp 110 is suitably arranged to shine through the window 101 and thus show a red light. l/Ve also preferably employ such connections with said lever mechanism as will readily and automatically release the air and set the brakes, upon the actuation of the same.

It will be seen that if the engine passes backward over the lever SS there will be no actuation of mechanism as just described, by reason ol the sliding' connectioii 06 and 07 between the operating rod 95 and the con nccting rod 0S.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim:

1, ln a block signal system for railroads, the combination with the block stations, of means tor signaling thel approach of a train therein, main and reserve torpedo setting mechanisms disposed alongside the rails and operable from said stations, and engine signal actuating members arranged to be moved to the operative position from their respective stations, substantially as described.

2. In a block signal system for railroads the combination with the block station of means for signaling the approach of a train therein, main and reserve torpedo setting mechanisms disposed at intervals along the road, means for actuating said mechanisms from their respective stations to place a torpedo, and means for registering such actuation within said stations, substantially as described.

3. .In a block signal system for railroads the combination with the block station of means for signaling the approach of a train therein, main and reserve torpedo setting mechanisms disposed at intervals along the road, means for actuating said mechanisms from their respective stations to place a torpedo, and engine signal actuating members arranged to be moved to the operative position from their respective stations, substantially as described.

4. In a block signal system for railroads the combination with the block stations of means for signaling the approach of a train4 therein, main and reserve torpedo setting mechanisms disposed at intervals along the road, means for actuating said mechanism from their respective stations to place a torpedo, means for registering such actuation within said stations, substantially as described.

5. ln an engine signal for railway block systems, the combination with a lever mounted alongside the rail and operable from the block stations of a lever mechanism carried by the engine and actuated by said lever, a sliding shutter releasable upon the actuationcf said mechanism, an alarm bell mounted within the engine cab, a pair of spaced contacts .electrically connected to said tbell, and acontact shoe carried by said shutter and adapted to 4complete a circuit through said contactsfuponthe release of said shutter, l substantially as described.

6. In an engine signal for railway block systems, the combination with a lever mounted alongside the rail and loperable from the block station of a lever mechanism carried bythe engine and actuated by said lever, a sliding shutter vreleasable upon the actuation `of said. mechanism and provided with a transparent section and alarm bell mounted within the engine cab, a pair of spaced contacts electrically connected to said bell a contact shoe carried by said shutter and adapted to complete a circuit through saidcontactsuponlthe release of said shutter, anda lamp mounted to reflect through said transparent section when said shutter is released, substantially as described.

7. In a torpedo placing mechanism, the combination cfa rotatable shaft and means for rotating the same a swinging arm mounted thereon and provided with pivoted clasping jaws on the end-thereof, a magazine carrying a plurality of torpedoes, means for automatically opening said Jaws to clasp a torpedo, and means for preventing the actuationof said jaw opening mechanism should y saidarm be returned with an uneXplode torpedo, substantially as described.

S. In a torpedo placing mechanism the combinationof a rotatable shaft and means for rotating the same, a swinging arm mounted thereon and adapted `to be actuated by thefrotation thereof to place a torpedo, a torpedo magazine, mechanism for feeding the torpedoes downwardlytherein one by one, a pair of pivoted 'torpedo clasping jaws arranged at the end of said arm, means for returning said arm to the normal position after 

